If there is any doubt about the fact that US rotations are better go to USMLE.NET and read the postings. You will clearly see that there is a trend. Even with scores above the 90's, many solid University Programs are granting interviews preferentially to those IMG's with US clinical experience and rejecting those IMG's without US experiences outright. Now I do realize that there are other factors involved and each applicant is different but if the Administration of any foreign school tries to sell you on the fact that abroad rotations are better because they are all green book they are seriously misleading you and I would seriously consider applying to a different school. Foreign rotations will for the most part, without any US clinical experience will take you out of the running for strong University programs even with Extrememly high board scores. Trust me its hard enough as an IMG to get interviewed at strong University programs. Now the good news is just because you go to a community based program does not mean you cant get a fellowship. I am friendly with 3 people here at Union Memorial who all got fellowships. (one in cardiology, one in infectious disease, and one in pulomonology). They are all third year residents and are moving on to bigger and better things and all went to foreign schools. One thing that just happened down here in Maryland however which is kind of a bummer is that the University of Maryland now requires in all of their residency programs that the IMG graduate is to be ECFMG certified prior to applying and getting an interview. What this means is that you cannot even get an interview unless you are ECFMG certified. Wait all of you are probably thinking I know I have to get ECFMG certified. BUT,, the problem is you have to first have your MD degree to actually be ECFMG certified. So in my case I graduate in like 6/2004 so University of Maryland essentially just exluded me as I would be interviewing about 6 months prior to that match. Many if not all University Based Programs in California already do this as does Johns Hopkins here in Baltimore. (not that johns hopkins would take an IMG anyway unless they were a road scholar from Oxford)
Hopefully this University trend does not spread like a metastatic cancer. What this would essentially mean is that all the IMG's who graduate in the spring ( which many of us do). would either miss the match if we really wanted a good University Program or would be forced into doing a year of Prelim of some sort and then reapply to a University Program where we may or may not get credit for that first postgraduate year. I was very disappointed as virtually every foreign grad that I know just got rejected almost immediately from University of Maryland. I was floored because historically they were pretty IMG friendly. Then I hit their web site and saw this new ECFMG cert. requirement and things became quite clear. The 5 best things you can do for your application as per a resident director I am in contact with:
1. Have a good class ranking ("top 10 %")
2. Score at least at or above the USMLE National Avg. for each step (Step 1 is more important than step 2 because most US graduates have not even taken step 2 at the time of the interview so you want a High step 1 scores for comparison. Dont get me wrong, score high on both but if you have to score high on one and low on the other score High on Step 1 because depending on when you take step 2 it is very very possible that you may not even have your step 2 score by the time of the interview. This is okay as it is NOT required to interview.
3. ACGME approved cores in US hospitals (minimally)
4. Good Letters of Recommendation
5. Personable, Warm, Friendly, Confident demeanor at interview. (remember the people who interview you will have to work with you for many years and if you are a peckerhead they wont want you)
Im sure each residency director varies in his or her opinion but I can say that these 5 criteria are the ones used at one of the most prestigous medical schools in the country so take it for what it is worth. They certainly sound reasonable to me. Best of Luck to All. Scott Jones DC MS III
Posted on Nov 7, 2002, 6:12 AM from IP address 207.19.126.2
